Cultivation of medicinal finger millet declines

By Baburam Karki,Barahakshetra, Oct. 12: The demand for finger millet (kodo), a local grain, is rising because of the increasing popularity of millet-based liquor in both rural and urban areas. 

Even though finger millet is considered a nutritious and medicinal food for human health, the cultivation of this crop is actually declining while demand keeps going up.

Because of the high demand for homemade finger millet liquor (alcohol), the price of the grain itself is rising. Keshav Thulung Rai, District Joint Secretary of the Kirat Rai Yayokkha organisation, said that millet liquor has its own special importance as it’s connected to religious and cultural traditions passed down for generations.

He said that, traditionally, finger millet beer (Jaad) is offered to ancestors. “It is a tradition to offer the beer made specifically in the name of the ancestors. The offered beer is then distributed as a sacred offering (Prasad).”

He added that both the liquor and the beer made from finger millet are now selling for a high price. “The demand for pure, organic finger millet liquor is growing not just in villages but equally in cities.”

Why finger millet is valuable

Finger millet is highly sought after in the market because it’s rich in essential nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fibre, vitamins, calcium, magnesium and iron, which are vital for food security, nutrition and a healthy life.

Although there are enthusiasts who enjoy finger millet dishes everywhere -- from small huts to famous hotels - the local varieties of the crops are reportedly disappearing due to the introduction of improved seeds for other crops. Finger millet currently costs between Rs. 80 to Rs. 100 per kilogram, and a bottle of good quality finger millet liquor can get between  Rs. 300 to Rs. 400.

Farmers in the northern parts of the district, including Barahakshetra, Suryakunda and Bishnupaduka of Dharan, are gradually moving away from finger millet cultivation as they are becoming more attracted to other crops. 

According to local resident Umesh Rai, farmers are losing interest in finger millet farming each year because it is more troublesome and yields less compared to other crops.

According to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Sunsari, finger millet is now cultivated on only 465 hectares of land in the district. Agricultural technicians said that the total area of finger millet cultivation has been declining across the Koshi Province.

The Directorate of Agricultural Development, Koshi Province, also reported a decrease in the cultivation area. In the fiscal year 2023/24, finger millet was grown on 57,357.03 hectares, while in the fiscal year 2024/25, it covered only 57,274.03 hectares.

Along with the shrinkage  in area, production has also dropped. In the fiscal year 2023/24, total production was 87,343.60 metric tonnes with an average yield of 1.52 metric tonnes per hectare. However, in the following fiscal year, production fell to 85,972.48 metric tonnes, and the yield dropped to 1.5 metric tonnes per hectare.

The Directorate said that the area under finger millet cultivation in Koshi Province decreased by 0.14 per cent, while overall production declined by 1.57 per cent.

According to the Directorate’s data, finger millet is cultivated on 7,751 hectares of land in Okhaldhunga, producing 13,178 metric tonnes. Finger millet is also grown in other districts such as Taplejung, Ilam, Panchthar, Bhojpur, Tehrathum, Dhankuta and Morang.

In eastern part of the country, farmers mainly grow local varieties like Kavre Kodo-1, Dalle and Nangkatuwa. However, the crop has become less attractive to farmers as monkeys often destroy the fields by eating the plants. As a result, farmers are gradually reducing the area of cultivation, and many have stopped growing it altogether.